Weatherproof socket



Aug, 17, 1937. J. R. NEILL WEATHERPROOF' SOCKET ori inal Filed Aug. 31,1954 1v INVENTOR Joseph R.N'eill ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 17, 1937WEATHERPRO 0F SOCKET Joseph R. Neill, Watertown, Conn, assignor to TheWatertown Watertown, necticut Manufacturing Company, Conn., acorporation of Con- Original application August 31, 1934, Serial No.742,263, now Patent No. 2,033,643, dated March 10, 1936. Divided andthis application December 26, 1935, Serial No. 56,182

1 Claim.

This invention relates to electric sockets, and more particularly to animproved weather-proof socket.

One object of this invention is to provide a weather-proof socket ofmolded insulation in which the electrical lead wires are hermeticallyembedded within the insulating material during the molding thereof.

A further object is to provide a socket of the above nature in which oneof the electrical lead wires is bent inwardly at its end to serve as thecenter socket terminal, and is held rigidly in position by the moldedinsulation in which it is embedded.

A further object is to provide an electric socket of the above naturewhich will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easyto manipulate, compact, ornamental in appearance, and very efficient anddurable in use.

With these and other objects in view there has been illustrated on theaccompanying drawing one form in which the invention may be convenientlyembodied in practice.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents an elevation view of the molded socket.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the same on a somewhatlarger scale, and taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

This application is a division of a prior application filed August 31,1934, Serial No. 742,263 for a Method of making electric sockets, andwhich issued as Letters Patent No. 2,033,643 on March 10, 1936.

In the previous manufacture of weather-proof sockets, it has beencustomary to attach inserts of porcelain, etc., to the base of eachscrew shell to insulate the center spring contact from said shell, Ithas been found, however, that with a socket so constructed, the fluxused for soldering the con ductor to the exterior of the screw shellwould often creep over the surface or penetrate the porous material ofthe porcelain insert, permitting current leakage or short circuiting.

By means of the present invention, the above and other disadvantageshave been avoided. Thus, no inserts whatever are used, and the centerterminal is held in position and insulated from the outer shell by theimpervious material of the molded casing.

Referring now to the drawing in which like reference numerals denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral Illgenerally indicates the weather-proof socket comprising a cup-shapedbody portion II of molded insulation, within which is disposed a socketshell I2 consisting of a threaded section i3, and an unthreaded reducedsection I4 terminating in an inturned annular shoulder or base I5 (seeFig. 3) The protruding exterior helical rib of the threaded section I3is permanently embedded within the surrounding insulation material ofthe socket I2, whereby the shell I2 is prevented from sliding ortwisting relative to said socket body I I. The open end of the socketbody portion l I extends slightly beyond the metal shell I2, and isbeveled at It to facilitate the insertion of an electric-connecting plugor electric light bulb, not shown.

Electric current is adapted to be supplied to the socket Ill through apair of insulated conductors I1 and I8 which are surrounded in thecompleted socket by a pair of upstanding bosses I9 and 20 forming anintegral part of the molded insulating casing. As clearly shown inFigs-1 and 2, a raised cross-rib 2|, substantially semi-cylindrical inshape, is integrally formed at the top of the body I l and is joinedintegrally with the upstanding bosses I9 and 20 to reinforce the same,and incidentally enhance the ornamental ap pearance of the socket.

Before the molding of the socket ID the bared end of the insulatedconductor I! will be electrically connected to the unthreaded reducedsection M of the socket screw shell I2, as by soldering. The bared endof the other insulated conductor I8 is reinforced by a bell-mouthedeyelet 22 fitted tightly thereupon, said eyelet having an outstandingflange 23. The bell-mouthed eyelet 22 serves as the center terminal ofthe weather-proof socket II].

It is to be noted that the annular space included between the inturnedannular shoulder I5, and the flanged end 23 of the eyelet 22 iscompletely filled in with the molded insulating composition of the bodyportion ll, whereby a smooth flush base will be produced with only thecentral tubular portion of the eyelet 22 projecting into the socketcavity.

It is to be understood, however, that the eyelet 22 may be omitted ifdesired, in which case the bare end of the conductor wire l8, strippedof its insulation will serve as the center terminal of the weather-proofsocket.

It is also to be understood that in place of the terminal eyelet 22, anyother suitable form of center contact terminal may be employed, such asa spring clip, an eyelet clip, a coil spring, etc., within the spiritand scope of this invention.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in whichthe invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form isshown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention isnot to be limited to the specific disclosure but may be modified andembodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. Inshort, the invention includes all the modifications and embodimentscoming within the scope of the following claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, andfor which it, is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

In a weather-proof socket, a rigid cup-shaped body of hard moldedinsulation, a metallic screw shell imbedded therein and having anapertured base, a pair of insulated wire conductors passing into saidbody and also imbedded therein, said conductors having stripped ends,the stripped end of one of said conductors being'imbedded in said bodyand soldered to said shell, the stripped end of the other conductorextending through said aperture and being held centrally in the body bythe surrounding molded insulation, a tubular flanged eyelet fitted oversaid central stripped end, the flange of said eyelet being fiat andlying flush with the base of said socket, the tubular portion of saideyelet and said central stripped conductor forming the center, contactof said weather-proof socket.

JOSEPH R. NEILL.

